In a heartbreaking scene that spread like wildfire on social media, I summed up the picture of the death journey that refugees usually undergo, fleeing wars in their own countries to safety, according to their beliefs.
Three people clinging to a ship’s rudder narrowly escaped certain death during an 11-day voyage from Nigeria, where they were rescued by the Spanish Coast Guard after reaching the Canary Islands.
They were sitting at the helm of an oil tanker
Spanish authorities released a photo, taken on Monday, showing three young refugees sitting at the helm of the Althini II oil and chemical tanker, which arrived in the Canary Islands from Lagos in Nigeria, according to vessel monitoring website Marine Traffic.
He revealed that the three young men were taken to the port to receive health care.
He added via Twitter that they are now safe.
Endless suffering
Interestingly, the Spanish-owned Canary Islands are generally considered a popular gateway for African immigrants looking to reach Europe.
Spanish data show that seaborne migration to the archipelago increased by 51% in the first five months of the year compared to the previous year.
Last year, according to the Red Cross, more than 20,000 migrants crossed from the West African coast to the Canary Islands.
This afternoon, the Salvamar Nunki rescued three illegal immigrants who were on the rudder blade of the ship Althini II, anchored in the docks of the port of Las Palmas and coming from Nigeria. They were transferred to the port and treated by the health services. pic.twitter.com/1Ei1FieAV3
— MARITIME SALVATION (@salvamentogob) November 28, 2022
More than 1,100 of those died at sea, the organization said.
In 2020, 4 Nigerian travelers who hid for 10 days at sea before being found hiding in a cabin above the rudder of a Norwegian tanker, which had traveled from Lagos to Las Palmas, survived in 2020.
According to the Red Cross, poverty, violent conflict and the search for work continue to fuel migration from West Africa.